Wargames Foundry

25mm American Indians 16-18C.

review by Bill Protz

The advertisement describing this range indicates that the miniatures in question are suitable for several wars from circa 1622 to 1716. Researched by Philippe Allard, the range offers an assortment of 19 warriors and 1 woman. I have often said that one can never have too many varieties of Indians and Wargames Foundry must feel similarly. The miniatures are interesting, well-posed, detail is crisp and no two Indians are alike. Additionally, the dimensions of these figures make them look like miniature human beings.

Represented are southern tribesmen, Algonquins, a Huron, Iroquois and generic Indians including one casualty figure and another crawling. Several are armed with 17th Century matchlock muskets while others have bows, spears and clubs. Headgear runs the gamut from a Mohawk cut to respendent ornamentations. One bowman sports a feather jutting out from the side of his forehead. Only one has donned European clothing, a waistcaot. The rest have not yet adopted European accoutrements and wear breechclout, mocassins, feathers, cloaks, sheaths and leggings. Some have shields and armor.

Ideal skirmish wargames can be created from the early settlement days of North America by utilization of this range. Early Pilgrims and later dispossessed Cavaliers of the English Civil Wars can do battle with these warriors in the time of the morion helmet, back and breast and matchlock up to the early tricornered hat era of the next century. However, these Indians have perhaps one more use. It is said that the Far Western Indians of the so-called French and Indian Wars of 1744-66 wore little in the way of European clothing. Breechclout and mocassin per Bougainville were standards of dress for the Indians of Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois who occasionally ventured eastward to join the French in battle versus the British colonies. If one does not look closely at the miniatures using matchlocks these figures along with the bowmen, the crawling and the casualty figure can see service in this later period as well.

Write to Wargames Foundry, 4A Parkyn Road, Daybrook, Nottingham NG5 6BG, United Kingdom. (Also available from Pendragon)

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